Head of Design

Head of Design – Major Commercial Refurbishment

Permanent or Fixed-Term Contract | Bristol

Competitive Salary + Excellent Package

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Head of Design to join a leading main contractor on one of Bristol's most prestigious commercial redevelopment projects.

Our client has secured the delivery of a £74m city centre refurbishment and office fit-out scheme, transforming an existing commercial building into a modern, sustainable workplace. They are seeking a design leader to take ownership of the design function, ensuring the project is delivered efficiently while maintaining the highest standards of quality, buildability and technical compliance.

The Role

Reporting to the Project Director, you will lead all design management activities from pre-construction through to project completion. Working closely with the client, consultants and delivery teams, you'll ensure the design programme aligns with the construction programme, managing design risk and driving innovative, practical solutions throughout the project.

This is a key leadership role requiring someone who can coordinate multidisciplinary design teams while balancing programme, quality, cost and client expectations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design strategy and delivery for a major commercial refurbishment project.
• Manage the consultant design team and coordinate all design disciplines.
• Ensure design information is issued in line with the construction programme.
• Drive design coordination, buildability reviews and value engineering opportunities.
• Identify and manage design risks, technical queries and design changes.
• Work collaboratively with project, commercial and construction teams to ensure successful project delivery.
• Build strong relationships with the client, consultants and key stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements, technical standards and project specifications.

About You

We're looking for an experienced design professional who has successfully led the design function on complex commercial construction projects.

Essential Requirements

• Previous experience as a Head of Design, Senior Design Manager or Design Lead within a main contractor.
• Strong background delivering major refurbishment, retrofit, cut & carve and commercial office projects.
• Experience working for a Tier One or leading regional main contractor.
• Excellent understanding of design management, construction methodology and project delivery.
• Strong leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Degree qualified in Architecture, Architectural Technology, Construction Management, Civil Engineering or a related discipline.

What's on Offer

• Permanent or Fixed-Term Contract opportunities.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
• The opportunity to lead the design function on one of Bristol's landmark commercial developments.
• Long-term career progression within a respected and growing contractor.
• A collaborative environment where innovation, quality and sustainability are at the forefront of project delivery.

If you're an experienced design leader looking to play a pivotal role in delivering a flagship commercial redevelopment, we'd love to hear from you.